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Background/Aims Guselkumab, a human monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin-23 p19 subunit, demonstrated joint and skin efficacy in patients with PsA in the Phase III DISCOVER-1/-2 trials. MDA, a multi-domain composite outcome, is a clinically relevant measure of therapeutic response in PsA. However, response dynamics and the effect of individual domains on achieving MDA are not well understood. This analysis aimed to characterise MDA response clusters according to domain changes over time and identify potential baseline predictors in patients with PsA receiving guselkumab. Methods Data from bio-naïve patients with active PsA receiving guselkumab 100 mg every 4 or 8 weeks were pooled across DISCOVER-1/-2. Unsupervised machine learning using the time-series K-means clustering algorithm was performed to identify clusters according to MDA domain responses over 52 weeks. Missing data were not imputed. Results This analysis included 571 of 669 patients receiving guselkumab and distinguished four response clusters (C1-4; Table 1). Mean age and body mass index were similar across clusters; C3 had a lower proportion of female patients vs. other clusters. Relative to C3, a high burden of baseline disease was observed in C4 across clinical measures and PROs, and across PROs only in C2. Through Week 52, mean values for all MDA domains showed continuous improvement across clusters (Table 1). MDA response rates were highest in C3, in which all individual domain thresholds were rapidly approached, and lowest in C4. In C1 and C2, improvement in clinical measures paralleled that of C3; both met the PASI threshold and showed substantial reduction in SJC. PROs appeared to take longer to improve but did so earlier in C1 than C2. Improvements were slowest in C4, though still substantial given the high baseline disease burden. Conclusion Machine learning differentiated four clusters of patients with PsA receiving guselkumab based on response patterns in individual MDA domains. Response may differ due to baseline disease burden, especially in patients with high pain, PtGA and functional disability scores. These results offer an innovative, complementary approach to identifying treatment response patterns across diverse clusters of bio-naïve patients with PsA, which may facilitate clinical decision-making. Disclosure A. Zabotti: Member of speakers’ bureau; AbbVie, Amgen, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis and UCB. Grants/research support; Novartis. S. Ohrndorf: Other; Speaker fees or travel expense reimbursements from AbbVie, BMS, Janssen, Novartis and Pfizer. W. Tillett: Other; Research funding, consulting, speaker fees and/or honoraria from AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB. M. Neuhold: Other; Former employee of Janssen and is now an employee of Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG. M. van Speybroeck: Shareholder/stock ownership; Employee of Janssen and owns stocks in Johnson & Johnson. E. Theander: Other; Former employee of Janssen. C. Contré: Other; Former employee of Janssen and is now an employee of Chiesi. M. Sharaf: Shareholder/stock ownership; Employee of Janssen and owns stocks in Johnson & Johnson. M. Shawi: Shareholder/stock ownership; Employee of Janssen and owns stocks in Johnson & Johnson. M. Perate: Shareholder/stock ownership; Employee of Janssen and owns stocks in Johnson & Johnson. A. Kollmeier: Shareholder/stock ownership; Employee of Janssen and owns stocks in Johnson & Johnson. P. Richette: Other; Received fees from AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB.

Objective We aimed to systematically review the literature to retrieve evidence on the diagnostic and prognostic value of musculoskeletal ultrasound for a treat to target (T2T) approach in RA. Methods Eight research questions were developed addressing the role of ultrasound (including different ultrasound scores and elementary lesions) for diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis of RA. PubMed and EMBASE were searched (2005–2020). Articles on RA and reporting data on musculoskeletal ultrasound were included and extracted according to the underlying questions, and risk of bias assessed according to the study design. Results Out of 4632 records, 60 articles were included. Due to clinical heterogeneity, meta-analysis was not possible. Ultrasound better predicted disease relapses with respect to clinical examination in patients in remission, while both methods performed similarly in predicting response to therapy, achievement of remission and radiographic progression. Ultrasound was superior to clinical examination in diagnosing joint involvement using another imaging modality, such as magnetic resonance imaging, as reference. Limited ultrasound scores performed like more extensive evaluations for the detection of joint inflammation and for outcome prediction. Higher ultrasound scores of synovitis were linked to poor outcomes at all disease stages, but a specific cut-off distinguishing between low- and high-risk groups did not emerge. Conclusions These data confirm the pivotal role of ultrasound when evaluating synovial inflammation and when identifying RA patients at higher risk of relapse. Further research is needed to better define the role of ultrasound in a T2T management strategy in moderately-to-highly active RA.

Objective Persistent (≥2 months) major salivary gland enlargement in primary SS (pSS) patients is a well-known sign of possible involvement by B cell lymphoma. The study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and safety of US-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) of major salivary glands compared with open surgical biopsy. Methods Prospective pSS patients (cases) with clinically persistent salivary gland enlargement underwent US-guided CNB and were compared with retrospective pSS patients (controls) submitted to open surgical biopsy. The features analysed were pre-biopsy clinical and laboratory findings, adequacy of the material for histology and diagnostic-rendered and biopsy-related complications (reported by the patient with a questionnaire and clinically verified). Results Thirteen cases underwent US-guided CNB: in nine, biopsy was performed on the parotid gland and in four it was performed on the submandibular gland. Sufficient material was obtained for pathological diagnosis in all samples. The final diagnoses were 5 (38.5%) B cell lymphoma, 1 (7.7%) lymphoepithelial sialadenitis, 4 (30.7%) other sialadenitis (granulomatous consistent with sarcoidosis, IgG4-related disease, chronic sclerosing, diffuse chronic) and 3/13 (23.1%) miscellaneous lesions. Thirteen controls underwent open surgical biopsy of the parotid. In one, inadequate material was obtained, while in 12 (92.3%) the pathologic diagnoses were 4 (33.3%) B cell lymphoma, 2 (16.7%) lymphoepithelial sialadenitis, 4 (33.3%) uncertain lymphoproliferative lesions and 2 (16.7%) miscellaneous lesions. Six cases (46.1%) reported six transient complications and 12/13 (92.3%) controls had 2 persistent and 14 transient complications. Conclusion US-guided CNB represents a novel, clinically relevant and safe approach for the management of pSS patients with parotid or submandibular persistent enlargement.

Objective. The relationship of cryoglobulinaemia with lymphoproliferation of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) as risk factors for lymphoma evolution in SS remains to be clarified. The different biologic background of SS-related cryoglobulinaemia as compared with cryoglobulinaemia linked to HCV infection was clarified by different clinical and biologic approaches. Methods. B-cell clonal expansion was analysed in the bone marrow of 27 consecutive cases with primary SS and mixed cryoglobulinaemia, HCV unrelated, in comparison with 55 HCV-related patients with cryoglobulinaemic vasculitis (CV) without SS. The results were related to the possible occurrence and localization of B-cell lymphoma in the single case. Secondly, the prevalence of mixed cryoglobulinaemia was investigated in 41 unselected patients with primary SS showing either parotid myoepithelial sialadenitis (MESA) or a frank B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Thirdly, the levels of serum cryoglobulins and RF were followed in one patient with primary SS, CV and parotid B-cell lymphoma of MALT after bilateral subtotal parotidectomy. Results. A polyclonal pattern of B expansion in the bone marrow was significantly more frequent in SS-related (19/27 cases) than in HCV-related cryoglobulinaemia (19/55) (P = 0.003). Cryoglobulins were positive in a fraction of patients with SS and malignant lymphoma or with parotid MESA (13/18 and 7/23, respectively), whereas MALT involvement by the lymphoproliferative disorder was the rule. Finally, the levels of serum cryoglobulins and RF markedly decreased in the SS patient undergoing bilateral subtotal parotidectomy. Conclusion. Lymphoproliferation of MALT appears as the biologic background of cryoglobulinaemia in SS, differently from HCV-related cryoglobulinaemia.